Grilled Cheese
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Grilled cheese lovers, this one’s for you. All you need is a pan, a few pantry staples, and the right technique to get that perfect balance of buttery, golden bread and an ooey-gooey filling. It’s next-level good.
Grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food—and my personal favorite when I’m craving something simple but satisfying. You might be thinking, “Do I really need a recipe for a grilled cheese sandwich?” It’s not so much about the recipe—grilled cheese is simple—it’s the details that matter. The ingredients you use and how you cook it make all the difference.
This version is a great starting point, but the best thing about grilled cheese is how easily you can make it your own. Whether you add a slice of ripe tomato, a smear of pesto sauce, caramelized onions, or something unexpected, the possibilities are endless.
“Thanks for a great recipe. I loved the two different cheeses.”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Good-Quality Bread: A sturdy, bakery-style loaf like Italian bread from Whole Foods works well—it holds its shape and keeps the cheese from leaking out.
- Softened Butter or Mayonnaise: The choice is yours—use butter for rich flavor and a golden crust, mayo for easy spreading and even browning, or a mix of both for the best of both worlds.
- Cheddar Cheese: Melts smoothly and brings that classic sharp flavor everyone loves in a grilled cheese.
- Shredded Gruyère Cheese: Adds a nutty, melty richness that pairs perfectly with the cheddar.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the bread. Using a butter knife, spread a thin layer of mayonnaise or softened butter on one side of each slice of bread.
Step 2: Assemble in the skillet. Preheat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, place one slice of bread mayo/butter-side down in the pan. Layer on the cheddar, then sprinkle the shredded Gruyère over top. Finish with the second slice of bread, mayo/butter-side up.
Step 3: Cook the sandwich. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bottom is golden and crisp. Pressing gently with a spatula as it cooks helps create even contact with the pan, encouraging an ultra-crisp crust. Carefully flip and cook the other side for another few minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread is evenly browned. (If the bread is browning too fast before the cheese melts, lower the heat to give it more time to get gooey inside.)
Step 4: Rest and serve. Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board and let sit for a minute. Resting for a minute helps the cheese set slightly so it doesn’t ooze out the moment you cut the sandwich. Slice in half and serve while warm—great with tomato soup or veggie soup. For a comforting meal, pair the sandwiches with tomato soup or vegetable soup.
Variations On Basic Grilled Cheese
- Apple & Brie Grilled Cheese: Combine creamy Brie with thin slices of tart green apple and a sprinkle of fresh thyme. Use a hearty white bread or whole grain bread for a delicious contrast in textures.
- Pesto & Mozzarella Grilled Cheese: Spread a layer of pesto on each slice of crusty Italian bread, then layer with sliced or shredded whole-milk mozzarella and a few slices of ripe tomato.
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Fontina Grilled Cheese: Slather sun-dried tomato pesto onto each slice of crusty Italian bread, and layer it with shredded fontina cheese.
- Fig Jam & Gouda Grilled Cheese: Spread a thin layer of sweet fig jam on each slice of bread and pair it with melty smoked Gouda cheese for a sweet and savory combo.
- Caramelized Onion & Swiss Grilled Cheese: Pair caramelized onions with Swiss cheese for a sweet and nutty flavor. Use seeded rye bread, which pairs beautifully with the onions and melted cheese.
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Grilled Cheese
Take your favorite comfort food up a notch with my foolproof tips—this is a grilled cheese recipe you’ll turn to again and again.
Ingredients
- 2 ½-inch thick slices good quality bread (such as a tight-crumbed Italian or whole grain bread, with no holes)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons softened butter or mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's, as needed (see note)
- 2 slices of medium or sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 oz)
- 1 oz (½ cup) shredded Gruyère cheese
Instructions
- Using a butter knife, spread a thin layer of the mayonnaise or softened butter on one side of each bread slice, ensuring full coverage up to the edges. Before spreading, make sure the slices are the same size and aligned so that when assembled, the shapes of the bread match up perfectly.
- Assemble the sandwich in the pan: Preheat a non-stick skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Once heated, place one slice of bread in the skillet, mayo/butter side down. Then, layer the 2 slices of cheddar cheese onto the bread, ensuring even coverage (depending on the shape of the bread, you may need to tear the cheese for even coverage). Evenly sprinkle the shredded Gruyère over the cheddar. Place the second slice of bread on top, mayo/butter side up.
- Cook the sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, or until it's golden brown and crispy. Using a spatula, carefully flip the sandwich over and cook the other side for another few minutes, or until it's also golden brown and the cheese inside has melted.
- Remove the grilled cheese from the skillet and place it onto a cutting board. Let it sit for a minute, then cut the sandwich in half using a sharp knife. Serve immediately while it's still warm.
- Note: Wondering which to use for your grilled cheese—mayo or butter? Mayo spreads easily straight from the fridge and has a higher smoke point, reducing the risk of burning. On the other hand, butter offers a distinct, rich flavor. Either choice has its merits, but for the best of both worlds, you can always use both. For what it's worth, I typically use mayo for ease.
- Pro Tip: For those who like an extra crispy grilled cheese: Spread a thin layer of the mayo or butter on both sides of your bread slices. Before assembling, lightly toast the inside faces of the bread directly in the pan. Once they've achieved a hint of golden crispness, proceed with the recipe. This ensures a delightful crunch both inside and out.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (1 servings)
- Calories: 596
- Fat: 41 g
- Saturated fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Sodium: 1014 mg
- Cholesterol: 93 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Your basil pesto makes hands down the best grilled cheese, in my opinion! As a family of 5, my favorite method for making grilled cheese has become the oven. Make the sandwiches, spread some butter, put them on a baking sheet and throw in the oven at around 500F. They usually take about 8-10 mins (flipping half-way through). The oven heat makes the cheese melt fast enough before the butter burns, and you can make multiple sandwiches at once. They come out perfect every time!
Thanks for a great recipe. I loved the two different cheeses. What brand of Italian bread did you use? I looked at Whole Foods but couldn’t find any. I ended up buying Sourdough bread. I look forward to trying some of the variations you listed.
Hi Kathy, I used the Italian bread that comes from the bakery (so not a particular brand). If you try some variations on the grilled cheese, I’d love to hear how they come out!
Thanks for prompting me to make grilled cheese, I haven’t had this in forever. I remember we used to make them with Kraft singles and butter. Nothing wrong with that. The Tillamook was a good choice. I could only find the block so we cut big, thin slices. We had a lot of soup and made them two days in a row. Once with butter, the other with mayo. Have to say mayo will be the only way I make these going forward. It allows a much longer time to cook and melt the cheese.
Cheese was difficult to melt… the cheddar anyway. I tried to google suggested brands for this but couldn’t find a good article. Is there a cheddar cheese that melts easier than others? I used Sargento.
Hi Sarah, I use Tillamook. Hope that helps!
Love, love the sandwich…delicious…I put the cast oven skillet with sandwiches on board for a few minutes just to ensure melted gooey cheese inside. Served with a bowl of lentil soup for a great winter meal.
Great ideas to kick up the regular grilled cheese, thank you! I use olive oil brushed on the outside of the bread, healthy and makes it very crispy. Delicious!
Could you suggest ways for me to cut down the total sodium of this grilled cheese sandwich…at over 1000mg maybe I could tolerate 1/4. Thank you!
Hi Ruth, You could try using reduced-sodium cheese (cheese is naturally high in sodium) and a good quality reduced-sodium bread. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you find some good substitutes!
These ideas to mix up the basic sandwich are great. We put the mayo inside the sandwich and add thin sliced kosher pickles before putting the cheese on top. My husband loves that tang from the garlic in the pickle. We also have sliced some Aidell sausage and browned them a bit and put them in the sandwich. It’s a bit messy to eat but a full on meal.
Hello, the Italian bread is the unsliced one in the bakery?
Looks great, going to make the soup as well. Do you have an immersion blender that you like?
You’re our go to for great recipes.
Thank you
Hi Larry, I get one that’s already sliced (or I ask them to slice it), but if you can’t find that where you shop, you can just slice it. I really like this immersion blender. So glad you like the recipes – hope you enjoy these two as well!
Great, Simply delicious!
A Foreman grill is a convenient tool to prepare this sandwich and you don’t need butter or mayo (although it won’t taste nearly as good without it).
Your recipes are amazing. I especially like the make-ahead and freezing information.